Survey of Personnel Managers in the Western Balkans: Serbia Jan-Hinrik Meyer-Sahling (University of Nottingham)

Kim Sass Mikkelsen (Roskilde University)

Christian Schuster (University College London)

Fanni Toth (University of Loughborough)

Ranka Bartula-Musikic (Regional School of Public Administration)

Vladimir Vlajkovic (Public Administration Expert, Belgrade)

Regional School of Public Administration

August 2019

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Introduction This report presents the results from a survey of personnel mangers conducted in the context of two ReSPA projects on Improving Merit Recruitment and Performance Appraisals in the Western Balkans. Both projects were commissioned by the ReSPA Working Group on Human Resources Management in the Public Sector. This report complements the comparative, cross-country ReSPA reports (Meyer-Sahling et al 2019, Staronova 2019).1

The survey was conducted between September and November 2018. It targeted managers responsible for human resources management in public sector organisation that apply the Law on the Civil Service. The survey was closely coordinated together with the Human Resources Management Service and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in Serbia and their representatives on the ReSPA HRM Working Group. The local partner provided a list of institutions, the names of responsible personnel managers and their email addresses.

The survey consisted of approximately 80 questions including two batteries of questions on merit recruitment and performance appraisal. The focus of the questions was on the practice of human resources management in their institutions. The survey hence differs from assessments of the legal basis of civil service management but focused on the level of implementation. Moreover, the survey differs from evaluations of management practices that compare countries rather institutions or individuals. Indeed, one of the main purposes of the survey was to reveal potential differences in management practices ‘within’ countries, thereby taking into account that experience with recruitment and appraisals may differ considerably across institutions.

The survey was translated into local languages and uploaded to Qualtrics, a platform for the design and implementation of online surveys. Participants were invited to complete the survey. They were sent up to three reminders to ensure a high cooperation rates among participants.

Table 1 below shows the list of 23 institutions whose designated personnel manager completed the survey in Serbia. 11 institutions remained anonymous. With 67 institutions whose personnel manager was invited to participate in the survey project and 34 responses overall, the cooperation rate is 51 per cent in Serbia.

The report is divided in three parts. The first part presents the results of personnel managers’ experience with the recruitment of civil servants in their institution. The second part reports their experience with the performance appraisal system in their institution. The third part provides open text comments on how to improve recruitment and performance appraisal practices as well as how to develop Personnel Departments across public administration. The third part is kept in local languages to facilitate the use by local partners.

Table 1. List of institutions

Administration for the Prevention of Money Laundering Centre for Demining Customs Administration Directorate for Inland Waterways 1 Meyer-Sahling, JH et al (2019) Merit Recruitment in the Western Balkans: An Evaluation of Change Between 2015 and 2018. Danilovgrad: ReSPA Publications. Staronova, K (2019) Performance Appraisal in the Western Balkans. Danilovgrad: ReSPA Publications.

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Directorate for Measures and Precious Metals Directorate for Railways Directorate for Seized Property Management Environmental Protection Agency Free Economic Zones Administration Government of Serbia Coordination Body for the Municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa Ministry for EU integration Ministry of Culture and Information Ministry of Environmental Protection Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-government Ministry of Youth and Sports Office for human and minority rights Office for IT and e-administration Public Debt Administration Public Procurement Office Republic Agency for Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes Republic Seismological Office Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia The Administration for Joint Services of the Republic Bodies Anonymous – 24 institutions

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List of Graphs I. Merit Recruitment.......................................................................................................6

Positions approved.........................................................................................................................6

Selection committees.....................................................................................................................7

Vacant positions internal advertisement......................................................................................8

Vacant positions external advertisement.....................................................................................9

Written exams................................................................................................................................10

Exam questions known in advance............................................................................................11

Ratio of exams passed.................................................................................................................12

Personal interviews.......................................................................................................................13

Exams test skills for civil service career....................................................................................14

Exams test job skills.....................................................................................................................15

Candidates ranked........................................................................................................................16

Top ranked selected.....................................................................................................................17

Time to fill vacancies....................................................................................................................18

Recruitment procedures not completed.....................................................................................19

Complaints against recruitment procedures.............................................................................20

Overall quality of the recruitment procedure.............................................................................21

Selection critiera: Academic qualifications................................................................................22

Selection critiera: Rules and procedures...................................................................................23

Selection critiera: Ability to manage...........................................................................................24

Selection critiera: Subject expertise...........................................................................................25

Selection critiera: Political support.............................................................................................26

Selection critiera: Party support..................................................................................................27

Selection critiera: Family support...............................................................................................28

Selection critiera: Ethnic social...................................................................................................29

Selection critiera: Merit.................................................................................................................30

Selection of previously temporary employees..........................................................................31

Number of applicants...................................................................................................................32

Quality of applicants.....................................................................................................................33

Knowledge and understanding of recruitment process...........................................................34

Material for selection commissions............................................................................................35

Presence of personnel department............................................................................................36

Role of central civil service authority..........................................................................................37

Importance for selection of prime minister................................................................................38

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Importance for selection of minister...........................................................................................39

Importance for selection of senior political appointee..............................................................40

Importance for selection of senior civil servants.......................................................................41

Importance for selection of political parties...............................................................................42

Importance for selection of central civil service authority........................................................43

Importance for selection of personnel department...................................................................44

II. Performance appraisal...........................................................................................45Application of performance appraisal.........................................................................................45

Frequency of performance appraisal.........................................................................................46

Non-compliance with performance appraisal............................................................................47

Agreement of objectives before beginning of assessment period.........................................48

Hard work will lead to better ratings...........................................................................................49

Proportion of staff with highest grade........................................................................................50

Discussion of results with appraisees........................................................................................51

Written feedback...........................................................................................................................52

Consequences of performance appraisal for promotions.......................................................53

Consequences of performance appraisal for salaries.............................................................54

Consequences of performance appraisal for training..............................................................55

Consequences of performance appraisal for dismissal..........................................................56

Performance appraisal is a box-ticking exercise......................................................................57

Appraisers have skills and knowledge.......................................................................................58

Information material provided by personnel departments.......................................................59

Functions of personnel departments..........................................................................................60

Importance for performance appraisal of direct superior........................................................61

Importance for performance appraisal of senior civil servants...............................................62

Importance for performance appraisal of peers.......................................................................63

Importance for performance appraisal of political leaders......................................................64

Importance for performance appraisal of central civil service authority................................65

Importance for performance appraisal of personnel department...........................................66

Importance for performance appraisal of appraisees..............................................................67

Complaints against performance appraisals.............................................................................68

Overall quality of performance appraisal...................................................................................69

III. Free text comments...............................................................................................70

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I. Merit Recruitment Positions approved

7

Selection committees

8

Vacant positions internal advertisement

9

Vacant positions external advertisement

10

Written exams

11

Exam questions known in advance

12

Ratio of exams passed

13

Personal interviews

14

Exams test skills for civil service career

15

Exams test job skills

16

Candidates ranked

17

Top ranked selected

18

Time to fill vacancies

19

Recruitment procedures not completed

20

Complaints against recruitment procedures

21

Overall quality of the recruitment procedure

22

Selection critiera: Academic qualifications

23

Selection critiera: Rules and procedures

24

Selection critiera: Ability to manage

25

Selection critiera: Subject expertise

26

Selection critiera: Political support

27

Selection critiera: Party support

28

Selection critiera: Family support

29

Selection critiera: Ethnic social

30

Selection critiera: Merit

31

Selection of previously temporary employees

32

Number of applicants

33

Quality of applicants

34

Knowledge and understanding of recruitment process

35

Material for selection commissions

36

Presence of personnel department

37

Role of central civil service authority

38

Importance for selection of prime minister

39

Importance for selection of minister

40

Importance for selection of senior political appointee

41

Importance for selection of senior civil servants

42

Importance for selection of political parties

43

Importance for selection of central civil service authority

44

Importance for selection of personnel department

45

II. Performance appraisal Application of performance appraisal

46

Frequency of performance appraisal

47

Non-compliance with performance appraisal

48

Agreement of objectives before beginning of assessment period

49

Hard work will lead to better ratings

50

Proportion of staff with highest grade

51

Discussion of results with appraisees

52

Written feedback

53

Consequences of performance appraisal for promotions

54

Consequences of performance appraisal for salaries

55

Consequences of performance appraisal for training

56

Consequences of performance appraisal for dismissal

57

Performance appraisal is a box-ticking exercise

58

Appraisers have skills and knowledge

59

Information material provided by personnel departments

60

Functions of personnel departments

61

Importance for performance appraisal of direct superior

62

Importance for performance appraisal of senior civil servants

63

Importance for performance appraisal of peers

64

Importance for performance appraisal of political leaders

65

Importance for performance appraisal of central civil service authority

66

Importance for performance appraisal of personnel department

67

Importance for performance appraisal of appraisees

68

Complaints against performance appraisals

69

Overall quality of performance appraisal

70

III. Free text comments

Molimo vas da navedete do tri segmenta procedure zapošljavanja koje je po vašem mišljenju neophodno revidirati i unaprediti. Molimo vas da objasnite kako bi te segmente trebalo unaprediti.

1. saglasnost za zapošljavanje-ukinuti, ostaviti organu, rukovodiocu da sam procenjuje, u skladu sa budžetskim sredstvima, da li treba popuniti neko radno mesto ili ne; 2. rokovi za sprovodjenje određenih radnji u izbornom postpku (skratiti iste); 3. ................

Kandidatima postavljati na intervju vise pitanja iz prakse

Konkursna komisija-mislim da treba jedan član komisije da bude nezavisan, kao što je sada član iz SUK-a, ali smo dobili obaveštenje da se planira izmena zakona u tom delu. Konkursna pitanja i zadaci po mom mišljenu ne bi trebalo da obuhvataju samo stručne zakone već i opsta znanja i sposobnosti.

konkursne komisije-nikada se nije desilo da kandidat koji vec popunjava radno mesto polozaja ne bude opet izabran na taj polozaj a obicno je postavljen kao v.d., znaci bez konkursa provera znanja-sastoji se uglavnom iz provere poznavanja propisa i to napamet, umesto da se da praktican zadatak uz primenu propisa koje bi trebalo da ima kod sebe kandidat motiv kandidata-nikada se ne uzima u obzir plata kao motiv, cak se i negativno ocenjuje, zainteresovanost kandidata za oblast u kojoj konkurise se ne uzima kao vazan motiv ukoliko kandidat nije imao priliku da radi u toj oblasti ranije osim ako se ne postavlja kao v.d.

kriterijume prilikom odabira kandidata učiniti transparentnim, diskreciono pravo detaljno obrazložiti ili ukunuti u postupku odlučivanja

Ne smatram da bilo šta treba menjati što se tiče procedure zapošljavanja državnih službenika. Sa procedurom zapošljavanja državnih službenika na položaju nisam upoznata, zato što se ne sprovodi u našem organu, pa u vezi sa tim ne mogu izneti svoje mišljenje.

Ne sprovoditi provere rada na računaru, već tražiti sertifikat ili drugi dokument izdat od ustanova koje su specijalizovane. isto važi i za strani jezik. Komisija u kojoj su psiholog i državni službenici iz organa nije stručna da ocenjuje znanje stranog jezika ni proverava sposobnosti korišćenja računara.

osloboditi mogućnost odabira kodrova od spoljnih uticaja.

Smanjenje obima konkursne dokumentacije; objektivnost i nepristrasnost-sprovodjenje konkursnog postupka pod šifrom;

Sve procedure su savrseno propisane. Potrebno je samo pridržavati se propisa.

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Utvrđivanje kompetencija za svako radno mesto i u skladu sa tim vršiti odabir kandidata. Uvođenje obaveznog psihološkog testiranja. Uvođenje mogućnosti pravljenja uže liste kandidata sa kojima će se obavljati razgovori i testiranja, a ne kao do sada vođenje razgovora sa svim kandidatima koji ispune formalne uslove navedene u oglasu o javnom konkursu.

Uvesti elektornsko podnosenje prijava na konkurs

Uvesti eliminicaione testove, od kojih bi jedan obavezno bio test pismenosti (stiže mnogo pravopisno i jezički neispravnih molbi). Smanjiti mogućnost "odavanja" pitanja - rad pod šifrom? Bolja obučenost članova konkursnih komisija.

Uvesti psiho test.

оглашавање, брзина, увођење у посао

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Molimo vas objasnite, u skladu sa vašim iskustvom, 'kome' su potrebne dodatne informacije i obuka u vezi sa postupkom odabira kadrova i u vezi kojih elemenata postupka.

Članovima komisija Licima na položaju

Članovima konkursnih komisija iz reda zaposlenih državnih službenika, dakle ne onima koji su zaposleni u jedinicama za kadrove, već 'ostalim' članovima konkursnih komisija.

Članovima konkursnih komisija pri odabiru izvršilaca, u pogledu redosleda radnji pri sprovodjenju procedure sprovodjenja konkursa i zakonske regulative

clanovima Konkursnih komisija u cilju sto boljeg sagledavanja strucnih osposobljenosti i vestina kandidata

Članovima konkursnih komisija.

Dodatne informacije su obično potrebne članovima komisije

dodatne informacije su uvek potrebne clanovima komisija, I oni ih dobijaju usmenih putem od pravnika zaduzenog za ljudske resurse

nikome od clanova konkursne komisije

Pojedinim članovima Konkursne komisije.

predsednik konkursne komisije rokovi

Pretpostavljenima

Rukovodiocima užih unutrašnjih jedinica - pretpostavljenimadržavnom služćbeniku na radnom mestu koje se popunjava u vezi sa procedurom sprovođenja postupka

Svim kandidatima koji se javljaju na oglas o javnom konkursu, ako nikada nisu radili u drzavnoj upravi verovatno ne poseduju dovoljno informacija o postupku te je oglas prilicno detaljan kada su u pitanju radna mesta u drzavnoj upravi

Новим члановима изборне комисије

топ менаџменту

Total

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Molimo vas objasnite koja vrsta obuke bi bila najkorisnija zaposlenima zaduženim za kadrovske poslove/upravljanje ljudskim resursima.

Definisanje kompetencija, obuka i razvoj zaposlenih

kako prepoznati dobrog kandidata, prirucnik sa prakticnim pitanjima najznacajnijim za odredjene oblasti

novine u propisima

Obuke iz oblasti radnih odnosa

planiranje potreba za kadrovima i analiza posla

radionice

Sprovodjenje postupka odabira kadrova, izrada potrebne konkursne dokumentacije, tabela, izveštaja, zapisnika i sl.

Stručno usavršavanje državnih službenika

sve korisno

Sve obuke vezane za stručno usavršavanje, ocenjivanje, odabir i razvoj kadrova

unapredjenje u oblasti ljudskih resursa

upoznavanje sa odredbama predstojećeg Zakona o državnim službenicima

Upravljanje ljudskim resursima u javnoj upravi, kompetencije državnih službenika

veštine razgovora sa kandidatima, veština slušanja

zastita od stresnih situacija

искуство из других земаља

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Na koje načine bi želeli da promenite ulogu organizacione jedinice za kadrovske poslove/ljudske resurse kako bi unapredili postupak odabira kadrova u vašoj instituciji?

Imajući u vidu mali broj zaposlenih nemamo organizovanu jedinicu za kadrove već jedno radno mesto nadležno za upravljanje kadrovima.

Jedinica za kadrovske poslove bi trebalo više da se bavi razvojem zaposlenih i njihovim obukama i stručnim usavršavawem

Organizaciona jedinica za kadrovske poslove stara se o zakonitom sprovodjenju postupka

Treba da bude centralizovana, van svih drzavnih organa i institucija, treba da ima spisak strucnjaka odredjenih oblasti koji bi se po rednom broju pozivali u komisije, odnosno ne treba da postoji u drzavnom organu ili instituciji za prijem u radni odnos vec samo za pracenje razvoja kadrova, usavrsavanje i edukaciju, pracenje procesa ocenjivanja, vodjenje disciplinskog postupka i drugo

U prethodnom pitanju sam morala da odaberem jedan od predloženih odgovora, ali to nije kompletan odgovor. Naime, jedinica za ljudske resurse ima svog predstavnika u konkursnoj komisiji (obično je to predsednik), pruža pomoć u kontroli priložene dokumentacije i izradjuje zaključke o odbacivanju prijava, pruža informacije I pomoć ostalim članovima konkursne komisije. Naravno, kao clan konkursne komisije ocenjuje sve candidate, ali njegovo mišljenje nema veću težinu od ostalih.

Veća samostalnost pri odabiru kadrova

veca uloga u procesu kreiranja kadrovske politike organizacije

Већи број запослених

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Molimo vas da obrazložite, vašim rečima, da li bi bilo potrebno revidirati i unaprediti bilo koji aspekt postupka ocenjivanja službenika.

Kriterijime za ocenjivanje ujednacene na svim nivoima i institucijama u okviru sistema drzavne uprave

Mislim da nije potrebno

ne

Nije suština u izmeni postupka, već u ocenjivačima I njihovim postupcima.

Odrediti jasne i konkretne kriterijume koji mogu da ucine merljivim konkretan posao ocenjivanog kako po kvalitetu tako i po kvantiteu, ponasanje, strucnost. Ne postoji centralna kontrola izvestaja o ocenjivanju, osim sa statistickog aspekta. Poslove radnog mesta sa istim nazivom u razlicitim organima obavlja razlicit broj drzavnih sluzbenika tako da se obim posla nigde ne meri adekvatno.

Postupak ocenjivanja je do detalja propisan zakonom

postupak ocenjivanja sveden je na ispunjavanje formalnih zahteva.

Potrebno je revidirati postupak ocenjivanja sa akcentom na razvoj zaposlenih a ne kažnjavanje

primenjivati merljive kriterijume kako bi se svi eventualni uticaji sveli na najmanju moguću meru

Trebalo bi da ocena bude opisna, nije dobro resenje da su ocene numerisu brojevima od 1-5 jer sugerise na skolske ocene. Razmera od 1-5 je prevelika, dovoljno je ocene svrstati u tri kategorije. U svesti drzavnih sluzbenika nije prihvacena ideja zakonodavca da ocena 3 opisuje dobar rad zaposlenog.

u delu koji se odnosi na radne ciljeve -precizno ih definisasti

ucesce ocenjivaca na obukama za ocenjivanje

Ukinuti apsolutno, ovako zamišljeno.. Ili uvesti uz striktne procedure i poštovanje Uredbe i dr. propisa...uz odgovornost ocenjivača... ovako nema nikakav smisao..

Zanemariti aspekt nezameranja kolegama prilikom ocenjivanja i pristupiti primeni propisa na adekvatan nacin